On His Toes
by ellendarunner
Summary: Neha always knew how to keep Stuart on his toes. Or, Four Times Neha Surprised Stuart.


_Ok so I'm actually obsessed with Stuart and Neha's relationship. Seriously, I wish the movie had more of them, even though it was still excellent. So here are four snapshots of how I see Stuart and Neha's relationship progressing._

1.

The first time he visits her at Caltech he manages to surprise her. From her texts and their Facetime conversations he knows she has a lull in her schoolwork, so it would be a good time to show up in person. Her face when she swings the door open is immediately rewarding. He smiles a warm smile and she grabs his arm and tugs him into the dorm, laughing that beautiful, lighthearted laugh of hers. She's even more adorable than he remembered and he doesn't even notice that he's laughing along with her.

She accosts him with a thousand questions about why and how and shrieks about how _stupid_ he is for surprising her like this but he can tell she's really happy with him so he just holds his arms out for her and she comes running into them, giggling.

"Stuart…" she gushes, suddenly at a loss for words.

"I missed you," he says simply and he feels her lips on his cheek.

They sit, entangled in each other's arms, in a very comfortable silence for about half an hour, both in disbelief that they are physically with each other.

"I was out running, I need to shower," she says and he nods, reluctantly releasing his hold on her.

She takes off her shirt to reveal a leopard print sports bra and for a both terrifying and exciting moment he thinks she's going to completely undress in front of him. Sure, he likes her like that… he really likes her. But he hasn't even gotten a chance to properly ask her out yet and isn't that what you're supposed to do before you bang a girl? Her shorts slide down her thighs and onto the floor and he feels all the muscles in his body tense. Neha laughs, obviously enjoying the… attention. She sticks her tongue out at him before grabbing a towel and heading in to the bathroom. Stuart lets out the breath he was holding and while a little disappointed he decides it's for the better. He doesn't want Neha to think he's only in it for the sex.

"Oh Stuaaaart?" she purrs over the sound of the water now beating down on her body.

"Ummm… yes?" he calls nervously into the bathroom.

"Can you bring the shampoo on my nightstand to me? I bought it and then forgot to bring it in here."

"Uhh sure," he replies, nervously walking into the bathroom. He was just going to leave it on the counter but she pulls back the shower curtain and he holds out the shampoo, averting his eyes to protect her modesty or whatever. He expected her to take the bottle, what he did not expect, was for her to pull him into the shower, fully clothed and all.

"Neha? What the hell?"

"Your clothes are all wet. You should take them off."

"You're naked."

"Yep."

"If I take my clothes off then we'll both be naked."

"I'm asking you to have sex with me Stuart."

"I really like you. Like I _really_ like you but I don't know if-

"Stuart, take your freaking clothes off," she says, pressing her body up against his.

He feels her bare, warm breasts up against his chest through his soaked t-shirt and he gives in. He didn't come to take her virginity, but within ten minutes of his arrival he's fucking her in the shower. God knows he at least tried.

2.

It's July and they've both graduated college and are now working at Google. They've officially been boyfriend and girlfriend since that fateful day in the shower and they're ecstatic to be coworkers and only live ten minutes away from each other. The fact that they're reunited with Lyle, Yoyo, Billy, and Nick makes it even sweeter. They're all working hard but they're all extremely happy all the team. The cheesy 80s references and the bonding all paid off and here they are. It's perfect.

One day Stuart's typing on his computer, focusing on coding when Billy comes marching in. As much as he loves the guy he's really busy so he tries to ignore him but the giant man looms over his shoulder.

"Billy I love you but I really have to get this done."

"Where's your girlfriend?"

"What? I think she's supposed to be in a meeting. Why? If you guys are fighting over Exchange-o-gram again, I assure you, she's right."

"Yeah we were scheduled for the same meeting but she didn't show up."

"Are you sure you were supposed to be in the same meeting?"

"Yeah, I calendar stalked her. I called her but she didn't pick up."

"Let me call her," Stuart said, pulling his phone out of his pocket, no longer caring about whatever the hell he was supposed to be fixing.

"Stuart?" she croaked, picking up on the last ring.

"Are you alright?"

"I-I don't know."

"Neha what's going on?"

"I think… oww… it's my appendix maybe?" she answers, her voice raising with uncertainty at the end.

"I'll be right over. Hang in there."

He doesn't even answer Billy's concerned questions as he speeds away from his computer runs down the stairs. Yoyo calls his name but he doesn't answer, pushing through the door. He manages to be at her house in seven minutes and thirty seconds and is infinitely grateful that he has a key to her apartment.

"Neha? Where are you?"

His response is retching coming through the bathroom and he's holding the hair out of her face and rubbing her back in an instant.

"Breathe baby, it's okay," he murmurs, hoping to comfort her even in the slightest.

It doesn't stop for a few more minutes and when it does she collapses back into his arms crying. He's extremely worried because Neha is not the crying type.

"Oww," she whimpers.

"Where does it hurt?"

She winces and clutches her right side, doubling over in pain.

"Shh, shh, shh, it's alright."

He kisses her forehead and it's on fire. _Shit_, he thinks, definitely appendicitis, he doesn't even have to check Web MD for this one.

"It hurts," she moans.

"I know. I'm gonna take you to the hospital, okay? They'll help you."

"Okay," she says, trying to stand up.

"Now what do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to get up so you can take me to the hospital."

"Let me take care of that," he says, standing up himself before lifting her into his arms. _She's as light as she looks_ he notes.

The next hour is a blur of erratic driving, ER nurses, morphine, and prepping for surgery. Neha throws up on him and he's really glad she's drugged up because even though he couldn't care less, she would be mortified if she was sober. He kisses her before she's wheeled off to surgery and he's never felt so helpless in his life.

He's sitting in a cold, uncomfortable chair when the doctor comes and tells him that she's fine, and that she's not awake yet, but he could see her if he liked. He feels enormous relief even though appendectomies are easy surgeries that pretty much never go wrong, but logic seemed to evade him as he waited. He goes to her room and sees her sleeping peacefully.

He takes both of her hands in his and kisses her forehead.

"Don't you ever scare me like that again," he scolds, and with her unconsciousness giving him the courage to be honest he adds, "I love you, Neha."

"I love you too, Stuart," she mumbles and he jumps.

"You're awake?"

"Not for long," she says, before turning over and closing her eyes again.

He laughs with tears stinging at the back of his eyes. That would be how their first time saying "I love you" would go.

3

It was the last day of October and Google was of course having a Halloween party. All employees were told to dress up in costumes and at Neha's insistence they go as Indian Beauty and Hipster Beast. Of course, Neha just has to put on a pretty, poofy yellow dress and no one will comment on her race, but of course Stuart has to where his signature beanie and classes over his furry beast costume.

"No pictures on Facebook," he growls and she just laughs.

Lyle is Iron Man, Billy and Nick are both Batman because they couldn't decide who should be Robin, and Yoyo is Yo-Yo Ma. They all pose for a group picture and despite his wishes Stuart is sure it will end up being someone's cover photo.

There's food, some orange punch, and lots of music. Stuart is with Lyle and Yoyo, dancing with "quidditich" brooms Lyle stole from the janitor's closet. He's actually having a great time and tries his best not to notice as Billy pours vodka into the punch bowl. He feels someone grab his arm and he lets Neha pull him away from the group.

"What's up, m'lady?"

"You are such a dork."

"You love it."

"Yeah, I kind of do for some twisted reason."

"Do you want to dance with your beast, Beauty?"

"Move in with me."

"What?"

"Move in with me."

"What?" he repeats.

"Move. In. With. Me. We all know my apartment is the bigger and better one and we're practically always at each others places and spending the night. We don't need two apartments we're just wasting money and space. I love you and you love me so this makes sense, right? I mean unless you don't want to but you already have a key to my place and-

He cuts her off with a kiss. When he pulls away he chuckles.

"Of course I'll move in with you. But I have to say that was _really_ random. We're had a Halloween party. What on Earth made you think of that?"

"I was watching you dance with that broom and I just thought of how weird you were but that's why I love you… and I just thought we should live together."

And then she shrugged and walked off, once again leaving her boyfriend dumbfounded.

4.

He's nervous, pacing their apartment. He hears the timer ticking and he wonders

if it's always been that loud or if it's just how nervous he is. He's not ready to be a father.

She's 22 and he's still 21, they just got full time employment, they're not married, and they're not ready for this. But lately, Neha hasn't been feeling so great and her period is a

week late and she won't even let him be in the bathroom with her as she waits for the

results. Of course, he'll support her and be with her, but he's not ready for a kid. He still

feels like he's figuring out how to be someone's girlfriend. How is he supposed to figure

out how to be someone's father? The timer rings and he freezes. After a painful minute of

silence that feels like an eternity Neha emerges from the bathroom, looking timid.

"All four are negative. I'm not pregnant," she says, starting to cry with relief.

"Oh thank god," Stuart says, engulfing her with his arms.

She buries her head in his chest and cries.

"It's okay, sweetheart. It would have been okay either way, we would've worked something out, but now you don't have to worry."

And then all of the sudden, her cries turn into sobs and he's completely confused. Isn't she supposed to be happy about this? She looked so relieved… does she actually want to be pregnant? Is he going to be a dad within the next year?

"Neha? Baby?"

"I'm sorry… I just… I'm really happy. But not because of the test results," she says, calming down.

"Then why?"

"Because you just confirmed what I was thinking in the bathroom."

"And what was that?" he asked, thoroughly puzzled.

"Believe me, I am so happy that I'm not pregnant. I want to have kids, just not now. But when I was in there, thinking that my plans were ruined, I realized something. I realized that you weren't part of the plan until last summer. I kind of gave up… I assumed that I just wasn't the type of girl that guys liked. But you love me and I love you with all my heart and even if I was pregnant you would've stood by me. I focused on school and getting a job thinking that love was never going to part of the equation but it is. And you're right, it wouldn't be ideal but it would've been ok if I was pregnant. Because you're not some insignificant boyfriend that I'll forget in a few months, or a few years. You're Stuart. And I love you, I really do. And even though I don't want to now, I see us married with kids in the future and I'm just really happy, ok?"

Stuart was speechless.

"Oh god I just mentioned marriage and children I swear to you I'm not talking about anytime soon I'm not a crazy girlfriend I promise I-

"I never know what to expect from you, but that's why I'm so in love with you."

_Ok so sorry that last one was so fluffy but I really couldn't resist. I hope you enjoyed and please review!_


End file.
